Our True Personalities Might Lie in These 11 Habits

As a society, we’re always on the hunt to learn about ourselves. Career aptitude exams, horoscopes, personalities tests, even moods rings, these are all things that we’re guilty of playing into – because, let’s face it, they’re really fun! It’s fun to answer questions about yourself and it’s even more fun to learn about who you are from the results, or dispute the results if they’re crazy wrong.

Well, little did you know that you don’t necessarily have to take a test to learn more about who you are. Scientists are now saying that the answers to your deep-seeded personality traits can be discovered through your everyday habits.

These are things you probably don’t even think about as you’re doing them, like biting your nails, walking, or sending emails. Daily routines might seem typical on the surface, but in actuality, they’re very telling to who you really are.

Do you write so small your grandparents complain about it? You might be more of a shy person. Are your words written very close together? You’re probably more outgoing and love to be around people.

Driving Style

Getting into a car with a friend or family member for the first time is always a learning experiment. You never know if they’re going to be driving 30 MPH over the speed limit or if they’re going to make you late driving like a turtle. Well, like most things, how you drive and even how you hold the steering wheel is an insight into who you are.

Hold the wheel up top, maybe with one hand? You’re more into looks, and odds are you’re the “cool one” in your group of friends. If you hold the wheel in the traditional “10 and 2 position” and your friends tease you for going 20 miles under the speed limit, you’re probably more of a perfectionist.

Writing Emails

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If you work in a traditional desk job, you probably send dozens of emails a day. The next time you’re taking a coffee break, peek into your sent box and take a look at how you write your daily correspondences. Studies have shown that frequent use of the words “I”, “me”, or “mine” point to someone who’s a bit of a narcissist, while people who use strong adjectives like “depressed” have volatile emotions.

What’s more, how you organize your inbox can also clue you in to your innermost personality. Those who file and delete emails as soon as they receive them love having control and order in their lives. Conversely, those who save emails (if you read them but don’t delete them) may be perfectionists.

Lastly, those who leave emails unread, without filing or deleting them, may feel overwhelmed and have a general tendency to be anxious.

Eating Habits

In this case, “eating habits” are mainly identified as if you’re a slow eater, a fast eater, or an isolationist eater. Here’s what all that means:

Slow eaters generally like to be in control and love to stop and smell the roses; they have a great appreciation for life. Fast eaters tend to be ambitious, goal-oriented, open to new experiences, and impatient (I can attest that those are all true for me, a serious speed eater!).

Adventurous eaters probably like to step out of their comfort zones, while picky eaters are likely neurotic and partial to routines.

Finally, those who separate different foods (“isolationist” eaters) on their plate are inclined to be detail oriented and disciplined.

Sleep Position

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Many studies have been conducted on this topic in the past few years, as sleeping styles are very personal and often hard to control from person-to-person. You may be able to change your handwriting or how you organize your email inbox, but how your body naturally falls when you’re sleeping? That’s harder to change and therefore it tells us more about your subconscious.

If you tend to sleep on your back, you’re confident, outgoing, and feeling good about life. If you’re a stomach-sleeper you love to be in control and make your own decisions, but this tends to make your more stubborn.

Fetal position sleepers are looking for comfort, which means they might be feeling self-conscious or vulnerable in their day-to-day life. And side sleepers? They’re extremely adaptable and very well-balanced people.

Walking Style

Just like your sleeping position sneaks in from your subconscious, the way you walk is often a good indicator of how vulnerable you’re feeling. This can be in general, but also has the ability to change; not every day is a good one, after all.

A 2013 study asked prison inmates to watch videos of different people walking, and the researchers asked the criminals to chose which of these individuals seemed “easiest to victimize”. The results overwhelmingly showed that they selected people who had been victimized in the past, and the inmates said they could tell their vulnerability based on how they walked.

Nervous Tics

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Do you twirl your hair? Crack your knuckles? Pick at your skin? These daily tics are something we become very used to doing when we’re bored or nervous, and unsurprisingly, the tics we have speak volumes to our personalities.

This recent study about nail-biters is the perfect example. The findings reveal that people who bite their nails routinely may be perfectionists, and researchers have found this to be true for most people who have “body-focused repetitive behaviors” (BFRB) like this.

Snack Cravings

“Through our food preferences and choices we reveal inner thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires,” says Dr. Alan Hirsch, a neurologist and psychiatrist, and founder of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. “It’s no exaggeration to say that the foods we choose provide a window to our unconscious.”

For example, people who crave spicy foods are more adventurous than their fellow snackers, whereas those of us who love salty food are competitive and seek immediate gratification. Crunchy foods are the snack of choice for perfectionists and those who crave more tart treats tend to be more judgmental.

Conversational Skills

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Young businesswoman wearing glasses and smiling in glasses and formal clothing while looking at camera on grey texture backgroundUnsurprisingly, how you hold a conversation is an easy way to tell who you are as a person. It’s also a lot more see-through than something like your go-to sleeping position.

As you might have been able to predict, those of us who hold their body language openly, make frequent eye contact, and make an effort to pursue conversation topics are more extroverted and outgoing. Conversely, people who cross their arms when they talk, fail to make eye contact, sway nervous when engaging in conversation, or struggle to breach topics are likely more introverted folk.

Showering Routine

Admit it, we all have something going on in our minds in the shower. Either you’re planning your day to a tee, daydreaming, singing, or maybe just letting your mind zone out and relax. Well, how you shower is a great insight to who you are.

Love belting out a few bars? Then you’re a fun-loving, talented person. Like to brush your teeth in the shower and kill two birds with one stone? You’re very conservative about your time and tend to be a little impatient.

Toilet Paper Preference

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This is something so minor, that you probably never thought it had any relevance to your daily life. Well, guess what, how you hang your toilet paper rolls in the bathroom can tell you about your personality.

Relationship expert Gilda Carle surveyed 2,000 men and women about the way they hang their toilet paper. As Carle told The Independent, results showed that those who roll the toilet paper over tend to be more dominant, while those who roll it under tend to be more submissive.

What do you think about this research? Did these match up for your personality? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.